Trolley-wheel.



F. THORNTON.

l TROLLEY WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 16,1917.

1 ,278, 398 Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

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FREDERICK THORNTON, OE HUNTINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA.

TROLLEY-WHEEL.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

Application led J' uly 16, 1917. Serial N o. 180,781.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, FREDERICK THORN- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Huntington, in the county of Cabell and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trolley-Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to trolley harps and wheels, and particularly to that class having means for4 supplying lubricant to the wheel journals.

The objects of the invention are to provide an improved device of exceptionally simple construction, in which the parts are easily removable for renewal or repair, and in which novel and'efheient means are provided for feeding lubricant to the bearings.V The invention also contemplates the provision of a, novel form of bearing in which loosening ofthe wheel, due to wear, is practically eliminated.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which:

VFigure l is a side elevation of the complete harp and trolley as it appears when mounted on a pole ready for use;

Fig. 2 is a central, longitudinal section with the wheel removed, parts being in clevation;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the trolley harp itself; Y

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the bearing` brackets;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of one of such brackets; and,

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the removable bearing bosses.

ReferringV to the drawings in detail, l designates the trolley harp in its entirety, which is provided with a socket adapted to receive the end of the usual ltrolley pole 2. The preferred method of connecting the harp to the pole is by means of a cross pin 3, passing through the end of the pole. The harp is provided with a pair of longitudinal grooves 4, adjacent the socket, through which grooves the ends of the pin 3 pass when the pole is being inserted. The

harp is further provided with a pair of notches 5, spaced 90 degrees from the grooves 4, in which notches the ends of the pin 3 seat when the parts are in assembled relation, as shown in Fig. 3. The side walls 0f the harp are cut away, as shown at 6, to afford ventilation and to prevent the burning of the harp to the pole. A perforated lug or eye 7 is formed in the harp for the reception of the retriever rope, as usual.

The harp is formed with a pair of spaced `arms 8 and 9, preferably having strengthening ribs 10 on their outer sides, and formed at their ends with rectangular notches l1 and 12, respectively. Near their base, the arms are formed with bosses 13 through which pass alined openings 14-15, adapted to receive a bolt, as hereinafter described. On their inner faces, above the bolt holes 14 and l5, the arms are provided with spring receiving pockets 16--17 as clearly shown in the drawing.

Supported by the arms 8 and 9 of the harp is a pair of bearing brackets or members 18 and 19. These members are duplicates of each other except that lthey are reversely formed, and a description of one Will suffice for both. One of the members is shown in Fig. 5 and comprises a shank having at its lower end a bolt receiving eye 21, and a disk-shaped body portion 22. O11 the inner face of the body portion 22 is formed a curved annular' rib 23, for a purpose hereinafter described. The diskshaped body 22 is formed hollow to provide a lubricant chamber 24, having an opening 25 in its upper edge through which the chamber may be filled. vAdjacent the opening 25 is an upstanding lug 28, having an inclined outer surface arranged as shown. The lower part of the disk-shaped member 22 is cut away as indicated at 27, for the purpose of reducing the weight of the bearing member. It will be understood, of course, that the chamber 24 is not open at this point, but is closed by means of a fiat bottom.

At the center of the member 22 is an inpreferably conoidal in shape, approaching the form of a paraboloid, except that the extreme point is cut away to forni a flattened end, as clearly shown at 33. A plurality of longitudinally extending grooves 34. are formed in the surface of the conoidal member for the purpose of distributing'the lubricant over the surface thereof.

Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the base of the conoidal member 32 is disposed concentric with the rib 23, but separated from the inner edge of such rib by a space 26, which space forms a passage for the lubricant from the chamber 24 into the grooves 311. The ends of these grooves adjacent the chamber 2-1 are Vopen so as to readily receive the lubricant.

In practice, a pair of bearing ybrackets such as described is mounted between the arms 8 and 9, with the shanks 31 projecting through the brackets and seated in the notches l1-12 in the arms. The trolley wheel 35 is mounted between these bracketsv and is provided at each side with an an-V nular groove 3e, into which the ribs 23 snugly it, so as to exclude dust from the bearings and prevent the escape oi' the lubricant. The wheel 35 is further provided with central, aXial sockets adapted to receive the bearing bosses 32. These sockets are lined with bushings 37, formed of wearresisting material7 suoli as hardened steel. The bosses 32 are also formed of very hard polished steel. Lubricant in the form of a stiff grease is. packed into the chamber 24k from which it Works its way along the f grooves 311 into the bearing sockets, and I have found' in practice that a journalr'having wearing surfaces comprising steel on steel, lubricated as described, produces a bearing of exceptionally long life.

The bearing brackets areretained in position by means of a single bolt 38, passing through the eyes 21 in the brackets and the holes 11i-15 in the arms of the harp. In

yorder to compensate for such slight wear of j theV bearings. as ydoes occur,y I place leai'- springs 39, of semi-elliptical form, in the pockets 16-17, so that they bear upon the outside of the brackets and urgethem inwardly toward the wheel.

It will be particularly understood that4 while the sockets in the wheel-35 are complete conoids, having their surfaces formed by the revolution of a smooth curve about the axis., the ends of the conoidal bossesl32 are cut away or flattened, as shown, so as to provide a space between the end of the boss and the bottom of the socket. In other words, the point of the bearingv boss does not contact with the center of the socket.

' By virture of this construction, it is; possible for the springs 39 to force the bosses farther into the sockets to compensate for Wear, and thus maintain the outer portions of the bosses in contact with the corresponding portions of the sockets, so as to preventV freely upon the bolt 33.

It will be seen that if it is necessary to renew the bearing bosses, they may be readily removed from the brackets by tapping on the outer ends oi the shaiiks 31and that the brackets themselves may be quickly re-' moved from the harp by simply releasing the single bolt 238.

The function of the lugs 28 is to act as guards or guides to prevent the trolley wire catching or hanging on the bearing brackets. Should the wire become displaced from the groove of the wheel it will ride down the outer beveled face of one of these lugs and thus be caused to clear the bracket.

That I claim is; s 1. In a device of the character described,

a trolley harp having a pair of spaced arms, i

said armsv having ynotches in their ends, a pair oi bearingy brackets supported by said arms and having lugs engaging said notches,

a'trolley wheel mounted between said brackets, and a single bolt passing through said arms and brackets below the wheel and securing the parts in position.l

2. VIn a device of the character` described, a trolley harp having a pair otspacedfarms, said armsy having notches in their ends, a pair of bearing bracketssupported by said arms and having lugs engaging said notches, a trolley Wheel mounted between said brack ets, a single bolt passing through said arms and brackets below the wheel, and securing the parts in position, the brackets being slidable on said bolt, and springs interposed between said arms and brackets tending to.'`

urge the latter together toward said wheel.

3. In a device of the character described, a trolley harp having a pair of spaced arms,

said arms having notches in their ends, av

mounted between said brackets and having journal sockets into which said bosses tit, and means for securing said parts together. il. The combination with a trolley harp, of a pair of bearing brackets carried` thereby, each bracket having a central bearing boss and a surrounding annular rib spaced from said boss, and a trolley wheel mounted between said' brackets, said Wheel having central sockets to receive said bosses, and annular grooves to receive said ribs. y

. 5. The combination with a trolley harp, of a pair of bearing brackets carried there-v by, a central bearing boss projecting from each bracket and constituting a journal',

each bracket being formed hollow to provide a lubricant chamber, and having an annular space surrounding the boss and communicating with said chamber, and a wheel mounted between said brackets and having axial sockets engaging said bosses.

6. The combination with atrolley harp, of

a pair of bearing brackets carried thereby, v

a central bearing boss projecting from each bracket and constituting a journal, each bracket being formed hollow to provide a lubricant chamber, and having an annular space surrounding the boss and communicating with said chamber, and a wheel mounted between said brackets and having axial sockets engaging said bosses, each boss having grooves in its surface, whereby lubricant is fed from said chamber through said annular space and along said grooves, and thus distributed over the journals.

7. The combination with a trolley harp of a pair of disk shaped bearing brackets carried thereby, a central boss mounted on each bracket, the disk shaped brackets being formed hollow to provide annular lubricant chambers, each bracket having a space adjacent the boss through which lubricant can pass from said chamber, and a trolley wheel mounted between said brackets and having journal sockets into which said bosses fit.

8. The combination with a trolley harp, of a pair of disk shaped bearing brackets carried thereby, a central boss mounted on each bracket, the disk shaped brackets being formed hollow to provide annular lubricant chambers, each bracket having a space adjacent the boss through which lubricant can pass from said chamber and an opening in the edge of the disk through which said chamber may be filled, and al trolley wheel mounted between said brackets and journaled on said bosses.

9. The combination with a trolley harp, of a pair of disk-like bearing brackets carried thereby, a trolley wheel of larger diameter than the disks mounted between said brackets, and a lug carried by the upper edge of each bracket and projecting substantially to the periphery of said wheel, said lug having a beveled outer face extending from the edge of the wheel to the outer face of the bracket.

In testimony whereof I have aixed my signature.

FREDERICK THORNTON.

Copies af this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

